New alert issued by Action Fraud as people look to snap up online holiday deals

New data shows there were a whopping 6,066 reports of holiday fraud made to Action Fraud last year and holiday makers lost a combined total of £11,183,957 in 2024. The average loss per victim remained at similar levels to last year, with £1,851 the average in 2023 and £1,844 in 2024.

Oliver Shaw, Commander for Fraud and Cybercrime, City of London Police, said: “At this time of year we know that many people will be on the lookout to book their summer getaway. Whilst searching for the best deals, we advise everyone to be alert for criminals who will try to take advantage of this busy period, promoting fake holidays online or through social media - often with suspiciously low prices.

“Before clicking that ‘book’ button, Action Fraud is encouraging everyone to not only look for the usual logos, like ABTA, ABTOT and ATOL, but do some extra research to make sure the holiday deal is genuine. We wouldn’t want anyone to be tripped up and find their holiday doesn’t exist.

“When booking your summer holiday, please remember to Stop! Think Fraud – and use Action Fraud’s advice to stay safe online.

Insights from holiday fraud data suggests more than 50 per cent of reports mentioned social media platforms. Other reporting suggests fraudulent branding from travel protection agencies, like ATOL, ABTA, or ABTOT, was used to provide false reassurance that the agency or the holiday package the victim booked was covered.

Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, said: “Travel related fraud is a particularly unpleasant crime with the high cost to victims in not just financial terms but also emotional, with the shock of finding that a much-anticipated trip does not actually exist. This is often only discovered just before people are due to travel or even when they arrive at their holiday destination.

“Fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated methods to hoodwink the public but one of the easiest ways to protect yourself is to ensure that your travel company is a member of ABTA and to follow the fraud prevention advice and tips we have put together on abta.com.”

Here are our top tips to avoid holiday booking fraud:

Do your research – don't rely on just one review, do a thorough search to ensure the company is credible, especially if you have not used them before.

Look for the logos. Look for the ABTA, ABTOT or ATOL logos on the company’s website.

Pay safe – never pay directly into a private bank account. If booking online use a credit card if you are able to.

Check your paperwork – look at receipts and invoices and be wary if you don't receive anything at all.

Use your instincts – if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Or even better – book with your local independent travel agent. We have some fantastic independent travel agents in our area, many of whom will come with word of mouth recommendations. Book local and support a local business at the same time.